Talk:Nova/@comment-24559851-20150113062037/@comment-24796133-20150113202734
The helicopter ride is quite long, and I can tell we've travelled over the channel and into Europe. I'm sitting with Jacob in the back section of the craft, still in serious doubts about the safety of this whole idea. keep them safe, that's all that matters. All things considered though, we really didn't have a choice. My intstinct tells me if we had refused we wouldn't have survived the night. We're only valuable if we cooperate after all. We eventually land on a large pad, a huge complex next to us. It looks like something out of a utopian film, several stories high and a couple of hundred metres long, completely circular in shape this is pretty substantial. I guess people around consider it some kind of army base and don't ask many questions, and the turrets on the roof confirm my idea. Not to mention the nearest building to the complex is only just in sight, pretty far away. I guess this is gonna be home now. The soldiers on guard don't give us any funny looks as we pass by, some even nod in appreciation to our group. Not me of course, I'm pretty sure I disgust them even if they don't show it. The man in the suit explains the whole area as we walk in. "Welcome to Quantum," he says proudly, "this is our main facility, just outside of Munich, Germany. From here almost all of the other bases are controlled, all currently searching for mutants to help and to stop." We enter through the main doors and into a massive hall, like a hangar for aircraft and vehicles. There must be a couple of hundred soldiers in this room alone. Even I'll admit this place is impressive. "Quantum was created after the second world war for one purpose: to maintain world order without the public knowledge. Our founders never wanted another war like that again, and thanks to us, that has been mostly successful. Over the years the wealthiest of people have granted us with plenty of investment, pouring in money to us to make sure that we can keep the world at peace. They like the world how it is, and by investing in us, we keep it that way for them. We are currently one of the largest corporations in the world, and yet less than 1% of even the most powerful people know of our existence. That's the power of money for you." We continue through the hangar with an escort and head for the lifts at the far end. "Since The Nova Contagion, our company has become essential to world order. We are the only non-governmental company that is capable of dealing with the virus worldwide. And as you can imagine, support for us has only grown. Investors sympathetic to mutants have donated billions to us in just a couple of months. Even the governments are starting to turn to us for aid. This will bring a little publicity to our company, but this is a time of crisis. It's a necessary sacrifice." We enter the huge lifts and travel up to the 12th level. I notice there are 20 in all, plus 10 more underground. Incredible. The doors open and we walk down the path for a little and into a wide corridor that circles round the entire building I imagine, doors lining the walls either side. "Our purpose has become simple. FInd the mutants, and other them the chance to be of a greater use to our society than they can possibly imagine. Of course, not all of them will be compliant, as you well know. Whoever this 'Pluto' is, it has become our number one priority to track him down and put an end to the threat he poses to all of us. That's, where you come in." We've walked around the corridor until we reach a sliding door on the inside wall, all the other doors are on the outside wall. He places his hand against a panel on the side and the door slides into the wall, and the room behind is revealed. It's a training centre, equipped with almost anything you could imagine, all fitted into a hundred metre circular area. Weapon range, gym equipment, running track, obstacle courses, fighting arenas and what looks like a small med centre. The perfect practice room. How much money do these guys have? "I think you'll find anything you could possibly want is here. There are 60 rooms on this floor too, dedicated solely to mutants who are training to be soldiers. With you 6 that makes 18 we've recruited in total, and no doubt we will find many more in the weeks and months to come. There are other mutants on the level above who aren't army material, but have their uses. Rooms house two, plenty of room, choose whichever you want but they are all identical. We'll leave you now so you can get used to this place. It's good to have you onboard." And with that, he and the soldiers leave. We're all still in awe of the place, even me. We look round the training room, taking in all of the equipment at our disposal. I hear Jacob suggesting to Zoe they share, and her disgusted grunt tells me all I need to know. That'll never get old. The weapons draw me in the most, rack after rack of firearms. I head over there and browse the selection. I recognise some makes from video games, others seem completely strange. Then I come to the knifes and blades. There aren't many of them, only 2 racks, but that's still a massive selection. One in particular catches my eye, it's a Kopis, a short sword with a curved side, a foot and a half long roughly. The metal is the usual shiny silver and the handle black, with figer grooves for grip. I take it in my hand and try a few swings. It feels good, and my inner anger seems a little satisfied having a deadly blade in my hand. This is definitely mine now. I'll properly browse the other weapons soon. I imagine the others are still in disbelief. It's not an easy concept to take in that we don't have to hide anymore, that now we can fight for something. We'll be training to fight against Pluto no doubt. However many mutant fanatics he has under his command, I doubt it'll ever be enough to take down Quantum. This place is too strong, and it'll only get stronger. Being their weapons may be a plus for now, but I'm still worried. When all this is over, they aren't going to need mutant warriors, and the world still hates us for now. I can only hope that it'll change. A part of me doesn't want that though, that part wants to keep fighting, keep brawling, keep hurting... I push down those thoughts for now. Focus on the present.